East Herts Council is calling for stronger planning enforcement and police powers following the intentional unauthorised development at Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth, and repeated incidents elsewhere in the district over the past seven years.
In a letter to the Secretary of State, the council sets out the significant officer time and legal resources needed to respond to these cases and asks for changes to the law. These include stronger powers to stop intentional unauthorised development at an early stage, faster enforcement and appeal processes, improved access to court injunctions and more effective action against repeated breaches.
The council is also asking for tighter rules on granting planning permission after development has deliberately taken place without permission. It is seeking a review of how essential issues, such as drainage, are resolved when planning appeals are decided.
The letter recognises the need to provide authorised Gypsy and Traveller sites through the planning process and asks the government to review the powers available to councils to respond to intentional unauthorised development.
The full letter can be viewed here.